As such, it only makes sense that the metro area is also a welcoming environment
for meetings requiring state-of-the-art tech amenities and learning opportunities for
attendees. There is no shortage of meeting facilities and off-site venues that deliver
in this regard, according to Robert Hampton, vice president of convention sales and
services for Visit Seattle.

“When meeting planners are looking at Seattle, science and technology are top ofmind,” he said. “We’re a hotbed of great tech companies that are either based here orhave a big presence here. Seattle has the credibility.”Because Greater Seattle is a major tech hub, hotels and venues are challenged todeliver the kind of amenities that its local corporate clients expect, he added.

“Good technology is an expectation of every customer, but when you have a customer like Microsoft you really have to demonstrate that you value them,” Hampton said.

“In many cases, our local tech customers have been able to advise those of us in thehospitality industry on what we need to do.”Seattle’s wealth of science and technology innovatorsalso makes the city a good source for speakers and pre-senters at meetings, he said.

“We can provide access to some of the top minds in
the country,” Hampton said. “Plus, a lot of tech associates
who meet here know their attendance will be high.”

Seattle

In addition to a major expansion of the Washington State
Convention Center (WSCC), expected to break ground
this fall and open in 2020, the existing facility recently

138 Meetings Today // 03.17

It was indeed prophetic that the 1962 World’s Fair, which celebrated the Space Age by unveiling such wonders as a monorail transit system and the iconic Space Needle, happened in Seattle. As
home to Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing and many other
innovators, Greater Seattle has proven itself time and
again as a welcoming environment for technology,
science and engagement.

TITANSTECH

ByPACIFIC SCIENCE CENTER, SEAT TLE

The technology and science
sectors of Greater Seattle
hold wide appeal for groups